btcc silverstone results (round 2)

[Dave Eaton <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

Silverstone, July 14



DAVID LESLIE and the Honda team made up for their disappointment of round 15 to take victory in
the 16th round of the Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship at Silverstone.

It was Honda's first BTCC victory, made all the sweeter for coming after yesterday's round 15
incident, in which Leslie was knocked from contention for the lead by the Volvo of Rickard Rydell, 
a manoeuvre for which the Swede was later reprimanded by stewards.

The Scotsman becomes the eighth different driver to win an Auto Trader Championship round, and
Honda the sixth different manufacturer.

Leslie, who started from pole position, made no mistake at the start of the race. Although
outdragged initially by the four-wheel-drive Audi A4 of championship leader Frank Biela, Leslie's 
Honda Accord quickly re-established itself in front, holding a half-second lead over Biela at the
end of the first lap.

Although Leslie's position never came under serious attack, he was certainly made to work hard 
for his first victory since joining the Honda team. Biela was never less than a second behind 
throughout, while yesterday's 15th round victor, Robert Ravaglia (BMW), held a watching brief in 
third. Ravaglia meanwhile had Rydell's Volvo breathing down his neck.

At the chequered flag less than two seconds covered the top four, with a down-on-power Renault
of Alain Menu further adrift in fifth. Sixth place was disputed throughout the race by Kelvin Burt 
(Volvo), James Thompson (Vauxhall) and Will Hoy (Renault), with Hoy coming out ahead of 
Thompson and Burt.

Biela's second position today further strengthens his hand in the championship. He now has 171 
points, 55 more than second-place man Menu. In the manufacturers' battle, Audi enjoys a 10-point 
advantage over BMW.

Leslie said after the race: 'It's an absolutely fantastic result. Everyone has worked so hard since
we entered the championship at the beginning of last year. I was under a lot of pressure
throughout the race but I didn't make any mistakes -- and no-one hit me this time!'

Frank Biela said: I thought if I could stay in front for the first lap I could perhaps win but Leslie
came flying past and there was no way I could keep him behind. Second was a fantastic result
and together with the third place I scored yesterday is more than I could ever have hoped for...' 



RESULTS 
Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship, round 16 
15 laps -- 47.33 miles / 76.16km 

1   David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 29m 56.27s, 94.75mph/152.49kmh; 
2   Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, +0.88s; 
3   Roberto Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, +1.36s; 
4   Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, +1.81s; 
5   Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, +4.67s; 
6   Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, +22.68s; 
7   James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, +23.16s; 
8   Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, +23.84s; 
9   Paul Radisich (NZ), Ford Mondeo, +24.69s; 
10 John Bintcliffe (GB), Audi A4, +25.35s;
11 James Kaye (GB), Honda Accord, +37.57s;
12 Steve Robertson (GB), Ford Mondeo, +39.25s;
13 Tim Harvey (GB), Peugeot 406, +46.78s;
14 Richard Kaye (GB), Vauxhall Cavalier, +47.76s;
15 Gary Ayles (GB), Nissan Primera, +54.12s;
16 Lee Brookes (GB), Toyota Carina E, +1m 02.16s;
17 Matt Neal (GB), Ford Mondeo, +1m 05.90s;
18 Robb Gravett (GB), Ford Mondeo, 12 laps.

Fastest lap: Rydell, 1m 58.71s, 95.58mph/153.83kmh. 

RETIREMENTS
Owen McAuley (GB), Nissan Primera, 0 laps; Patrick Watts
(GB), Peugeot 406, 0 laps; John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra,
1 lap; Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 10 laps.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS 
Drivers: 
1   Biela, 171 points; 
2   Menu, 116; 
3   Rydell, 115;
4   Winkelhock, 106; 
5   Ravaglia, 97; 
6   Bintcliffe, 80; 
7   Hoy, 69;
=8 John Cleland (GB/Vauxhall) & Leslie, 66;
10 Thompson, 64. 

Manufacturers: 
1 Audi, 181; 2 BMW, 171; 3 Renault, 154; 4 Volvo, 150; 5 Vauxhall, 118; 6 Honda, 100; 7 Peugeot, 54; 8 Ford, 48. 

Total Cup Privateers: 1 Lee Brookes (GB/Toyota), 190; 2 Richard Kaye, 175. 
 
RACE RESUME 
Grid: Leslie - Biela - Rydell - Ravaglia - Menu - Burt - Hoy - Thompson - Cleland - Radisich -         Bintcliffe - James Kaye - Harvey - Watts - Richard Kaye - Robertson - Brookes - Ayles -
McAuley - Neal - Gravett - Winkelhock* (*time disallowed: driving infringement). 

Lap 1: Biela outdrags Leslie off line, Leslie reclaims lead out of Copse. McAuley retires (driveshaft).
          Watts retires (accident damage).
          At end lap: Leslie - Biela - Ravaglia - Rydell - Menu - Hoy - Burt -Radisich - Thompson -                           Bintcliffe.
Lap 2: Thompson passes Radisich for eighth.
          Cleland retires (accident). 
Lap 4: Winkelhock moves into 11th.
Lap 5: Thompson passes Burt for seventh.
Lap 8: Burt repasses Thompson; Winkelhock passes Bintcliffe for 10th.
Lap 9: Thompson repasses Burt for seventh. Radisich/Burt make contact, both continue.
Lap 11: Winkelhock retires (puncture).
Lap 15: Chequered flag.